1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to educational devices, and specifically to a unique, simple and fun learning system that motivates, monitors and reinforces children's performance of daily household chores, tasks and responsibilities.
2. Description of Prior Art
It has been a problem to provide children, especially preschool-aged children who are not yet able to read, with a positive motivational tool to encourage them to perform daily household chores, tasks and responsibilities.
To date, all attempts to solve this problem have been through the use of charts, in essentially three formats--calendar, graph and list.
In general, charts suffer from the following disadvantages:
(1) Participants must be able to read; PA1 (2) There is no immediate positive feedback; PA1 (3) They require too much adult involvement and time; PA1 (4) They are age-specific within a narrow range; PA1 (5) They cannot be used for more than one child at a time; PA1 (6) They are consumable and must be replaced when the allotted space is filled; PA1 (7) They are not easily adaptable to fit a wide range of situations; and PA1 (8) They do not teach the concept and value of money. PA1 (1) To provide a learning system that does not require that participants be able to read; PA1 (2) To provide a learning system that renders immediate positive feedback; PA1 (3) To provide a learning system with continuity that is simple and easy to use; PA1 (4) To provide a learning system that can be used by children as young as 3 years old; PA1 (5) To provide a learning system that can be used by several children at one time; PA1 (6) To provide a learning system that is not consumable and accommodates a plurality of tasks; PA1 (7) To provide a learning system that is easily adaptable to fit a wide range of situations; and PA1 (8) To provide a learning system that teaches the concept and value of money.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,855 to Walsh (1983) discloses a calender-like apparatus with list and graph characteristics. At the end of each week the child is rewarded for each completed task. An obvious problem occurs when the tasks to be performed outnumber the available task slots, which either limits the use of the apparatus or requires the purchase of additional slot modules. In addition, the apparatus can only be used by one child, requiring the purchase of additional units for other children, thus making it inconvenient and too costly for some families.
Although plain graph paper and commercial graph charts and calendars, used in combination with child appropriate stickers, are less expensive and readily available, they do not solve the problem that an adult has to develop the system and put it to effective use for household duties, devise a reward system, and use separate charts for each child. They also use minimal child interaction which lessens the motivational impact, they are consumable and must be replaced when filled, and they lack continuity unless ample supplies are kept on hand.
There remains a need for a new and improved children's educational daily responsibilities learning system as demonstrated by this invention which addresses the disadvantages discussed above.